


Any Detective Worth his Salt

by nonky



Category: Castle
Genre: AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 15:12:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17748254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonky/pseuds/nonky
Summary: Prompt by obsessivemuch1 on LJ: Castle/Beckett, Inspector Rick Castle meets a plucky female reporter, Kate Beckett, who seems to be one step ahead of him on this investigation.





	Any Detective Worth his Salt

"Your girlfriend's here to visit, Ricky-Tiki-Tavi," Esposito murmured, nudging past Rick into the apartment.

The two detectives were stuck in the hallway until the officer on scene and the coroner cleared out of the tiny space. It was one of those hideously cramped bachelor apartments, all-in-one aside from the bathroom.

Rick had been a cop for thirteen years, his shiny polish of glassy-eyed rookie scuffed down by a thousand lies a week. The crooks were snakes and he was a mongoose, hence his nickname.

He was particularly frustrated to be seeing yet another dead girl in another crappy apartment, signs of ritual murder showing a superficial similarity to at least four other cases. He thought it was a serial working out his method; trying knives, strangulation, anything that was quiet enough not to bother the neighbours.

He had notified Captain Montgomery and handed over a report - extra paperwork, for the love of all that was holy - putting together the scraps of clues that seemed to make sense when laid out side by side. He wasn't FBI, and profiling was a specific science barely touched in the academy. He didn't have a certificate on his wall to say he knew what he was doing. Captain wanted to support him, but said there wasn't enough to make any conclusion.

Rick's report had been sent along to a sympathetic FBI agent for an assessment, but that could be a long time. Everyone was overworked in law enforcement in Manhattan. He understood the realities. It was on Rick to continue dragging his tired ass and red eyes to crime scenes. His reply was a bit sharp as a result.

"I believe you have some canvassing to do," he barked, clutching his deli coffee like a talisman. "I'll go chase off our spy."

He ambled over to the tall, smiling brunette, watching unhappily as her notepad tipped down and she scribbled something. This reporter, Kate something, had shown up at the second of these murders. She could find a few of the details he had noted for suspicious similarities. She was faster than most of the department. He still couldn't talk to her about it.

"Kate," he greeted coolly, "Hope this isn't your building. It's a deathtrap."

She smiled, white teeth between silky lips poised to talk his ear off. He hadn't chased her off that first day, instead deeming her too feminine to be a threat to his investigation. She didn't get in the door, but he let her loiter out in the hallway to overhear what she could. He had seen a little digital camera in her pocket, but she hadn't taken photos of the deceased as the sheeted body was rolled out. Rick respected fair play. He could also see the opportunity for a hot minute with a pretty woman who wanted to speak to him.

His divorce a few years ago had taught him to value short and sweet with women. His ex-wife was an actress - needy and whiny. He'd loved her anyway, but then she'd started drinking to fill the void of his work hours and a waning stage career. Rick had been okay to stick with her if not for their daughter, Alexis. It wasn't fair for a little girl to see her mother carried to bed every night and propped over a sick bucket.

He and Alexis lived in a penthouse with his mother, supplemented by her savings from her own very successful Broadway stints. Martha Rodgers was still acting from time to time, but most of her days were spent helping Rick manage single fatherhood. His ex had taken off for Hollywood, trying her luck with a man out there. He wished her luck because he didn't want the narrowly-avoided custody battle to reignite.

"Detective Castle, it's nice to see you again," Kate said fondly. "Though not quite like this. I was told it's another young female murdered violently in a way that minimizes noise. Is it true she's swaddled in a sheet like the rest of them?"

The four girls were all picked up and placed diagonally on a flat bed sheet - something the killer had brought. The bastard rolled them up like babies, leaving their faces uncovered. Rick shook his head.

"I'm sorry, you'll have to talk to the liaison or my captain for that. Want the card again?"

She wrinkled her nose but shook her head and remained pleasant. She was good, Kate was, pretty and sneaky and charming as reporters went.

"I still have the card, thanks. Listen, I know you just started working on this girl, but she worked at the same place as the second. Three of them joined volunteer groups in the past six months through the same website, and the fourth had been volunteering with a charity for years on her own. I'm not saying it's going to take you anywhere, but I can email you the details?"

Her chin tipped down, cajoling a tiny smile over his coffee. Rick sighed. He was tired, and she did seem to be willing to play by his rules. He expected she'd eventually print her story no matter what.

"Give me that card again," he grunted, fishing a pen out of his pocket.

She laid it flat on her notepad, and he flipped it over to write his personal email. Everyone in the media and the police knew there were deals, but no one wanted to be singled out for making one. He would be cautious. It helped that Kate was a very attractive woman, so he could tell Ryan and Esposito it was a personal interest keeping her hanging around.

"What's your last name again," he asked her.

"Beckett." The name came off a little crisp and proud, an upright name to match her well-bred confidence. Kate Beckett came from somewhere with trees lining the streets and a view of the park. She was pretty and sexy; out of his league and it only made him that much more drawn in.

"Kate Beckett, if I see you cluttering up my crime scene I'll have you escorted out in a very undignified fashion. Off the record, you seem to be onto something I'm onto. On the record, you need to talk to the liaison or Captain Montgomery. But we might be able to discreetly discuss some hypothetical cases if that will satisfy your curiousity," he whispered.

Her little flare of temper disappeared under a pleased nod as Kate took the card and tucked it away. "I understand, Detective. I'll be good."

He watched her turn in the dingy hallway and go down the stairs, equally lovely from all angles. As he steeled himself to go back in and do his job, Rick muttered sourly, "I doubt it," but he was smiling nonetheless.


End file.
